ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez, D-New Mexico, is demanding answers after receiving reports that U.S. Border Patrol agents boarded a charter bus carrying Las Cruces High School students on their way to a swim meet in Albuquerque. The incident occurred on Friday, February 21.
According to a statement from Vasquez’s office, students and coaches were aboard the bus when it was stopped at a Border Patrol checkpoint. The situation reportedly escalated after agents questioned the bus driver, who was unable to respond in English. Despite efforts by the coaches to explain the situation, one agent boarded the bus and proceeded to demand information from the students, leaving them visibly shaken, Vasquez claims.
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“Harassing and frightening children does not make New Mexico safer,” Vasquez said in a news release. “No student should have to fear law enforcement while traveling to a school event.”
A Customs and Border Protection (CBP) spokesperson defended the agents’ actions, stating that the unmarked charter bus, which had no school decals, was subject to routine inspection as part of standard Border Patrol checkpoint procedures in the El Paso Sector, reports KRQE. The spokesperson added that such inspections are critical to deterring illegal immigration and ensuring compliance with immigration laws.
After completing the verification process, the agents confirmed that everyone aboard the bus was legally present in the country and departed without incident.
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In response to the incident, Kelly Jameson, director of communication at Las Cruces Public Schools told Newsweek, “We hope this was an isolated event, as all students, regardless of immigration status, are entitled to a free public education according to the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Plyler v. Doe.”
This incident comes amid broader scrutiny of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency and its expanded enforcement capabilities under the current administration. Critics argue that ICE’s ability to conduct operations in sensitive locations, such as schools, places of worship, and hospitals, instills fear in vulnerable communities and raises constitutional concerns.
Advocates, including Vasquez, see this event as indicative of a larger issue.
“Harassing and frightening children does not make New Mexico safer or help law enforcement get criminals off our streets,” Vasquez wrote in a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
He called for a full accounting of the incident, a clear policy on how agents are to address minors, and measures to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
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Some parents have expressed outrage over the incident. Kelly Campion, a parent of one of the students on board, shared her frustration in a Facebook post, writing, “All I can say on this is that we have to do better! My son was on this bus so I know for sure this happened. Demanding documentation from minors as they are on their way to a school event is insane.”
